Flexible band fitted with hooked elements of the filament type



' Jan. 30, 1968 J. BILLARANT 3,355,757

' FLEXIBLE BAND FITTED WITH HOOKED ELEMENTS OF THE FILAMENT TYPE FiledMarch 2, 1965 1 1/11, ("'1 5/ $55 a A Z5 25 a e B 2d a f k 761 UnitedStates Patent 6 Claims. (31. 24-204) This invention relates to flexiblebands having filament formed hooked elements to the general type shownin copending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 245,247 filed Dec. 17,1962, now Patent No. 3,277,547, entitled, Method and Means for ProducingYielding Strips Provided With Elongated Loops and Products ObtainedThereby, and Ser. No. 412,899 filed Nov. 23, 1964, entitled, Machine forthe Manufacture of Flexible Bands Fitted With Hooked Elements. As showntherein such hooked elements are obtained by integrally forming one endof a wavy thread in a flexible plate or sole, such that the remainder ofthe thread projects out of the flexible plate as a series of free loopsand then cutting one of the sides of the loops to form a hook. Moreparticularly, the instant invention relates to an improvement of thehook structure and a method for producing same.

In known articles of this type, the cutting of one of the sides of eachfree loop is performed at a certain distance from the top or summit ofthe loop in such a manner as to retain the summit which thus forms thecurved hooking portion of the desired hook. The hook is secured to andmade integral with the flexible band by the stem at the non-cut side ofthe loop. The portion of the cut side projecting outward from theflexible band still remains in such prior art hooked element.

It has, however, been determined that the remaining portion of the sideof loop opposite to that side which forms the stem is liable to hinderthe attachment of a cooperating looped element which is intended toengage in the hook. In fact, the prior art structure bears a closerresemblance to a kind of snap-hook than to an open hook.

The object of the invention is to provide a flexible band fitted withhooked elements of the filament type which is not subject to theabove-mentioned disadvantage of known articles.

To this end, in accordance with the invention, the portion of that sideof loop which is located opposite to the side which forms the stem ofthe hook is cut substantially flush with the top surface of the sole.

In this manner, the space which is located between the curved extremityof the hook and the sole is completely freed, with the result that alooped element forming part of another sole which is intended to beremovably attached to the first sole can thus be brought withoutdifliculty in front of the said hook for the purpose of engagingtherein.

In addition to the operation which consists in cutting the loops at acertain distance from the tops of these latter so as to form hooks, itis merely necessary to carry out an operation which consists in cuttingflush with the sole the portion of that side of loop which is locatedopposite to the side forming the stem of the hook.

The operation referred to is carried out with correspondingly greatercase if the roots of the loops are anchored in a small excrescence ofthe plastic material which forms the sole, in addition to the bonding ofthe thread within the said sole. The sides of loop under considerationare cut flush with the said anchorage, with the result that they are notliable to be flattened under the pressure of the cutting blade.Moreover, the arms of the loops are applied on one side against theforming bars which are intended to shape the said loops.

A better understanding of the invention will be gained from a perusal ofthe following description and from a study of the accompanying drawingswhich show, by way of non-limitative example, one form of embodiment of5 a flexible band fitted with hooked elements of the filament type inaccordance with the invention.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is, on a large scale, a longitudinal crosssection of a portionof flexible band fitted with hooked elements of the filament type inaccordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross-section taken along the line IIII ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-section showing an intermediate stageof manufacture of the band which is illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The portion of flexible band which is fitted with hooked elements of thefilament type as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 is made up of a sole 1of plastic material in which the internal loops 2a of parallel wavythreads 2 are securely anchored in the said sole in such a manner as toform one piece with this latter. For sake of brevity, a description ofthe manner in which the flexible band with loops is manufactured will beomitted at this point, with reference, however, being made toaforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 245,247. The externalloops 2b of the said parallel wavy threads 2 have been cut as shown at Ain FIGURE 3 (using a cutter which may typically be of the type shown inaforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 412,898), in such amanner that the remaining portions form hooks 2b. The stem ofthe hook isformed by the uncut portion 20 of the external loop of thread whichremains embedded in sole 1.

The external portion 2d of the loop which is located opposite the stem2c of the hook will still remain after the cut at A. Such remainingportion is liable to constitute a hindrance for the hook 2b which isintended to engage with a corresponding looped element forming part ofanother sole to be attached in removable manner to the sole 1.

In accordance with the invention, those sides of loops such as the side2d are therefore cut substantially flush with the sole 1 as shown at B,in such a manner that this side of loop 2d falls and no longer formspart of the article. Such an additional cut may, for example be achievedby an additional cutter, as shown by the longitudinally displacedcutters 15, 15A in FIGURE 4 of aforementioned patent application Ser.No. 412,898. After completion, the said article thus appears as shown inFIG- URE 1, with the locations of the dual cuts performed on the loopbeing shown at A and B.

The space which is formed near the end of each hook 212 is thereforeleft completely free as can be visualized from FIG. 1, with the resultthat the engagement of the said hook with a loop can thus be effectedwith greater ease.

It will be noted that the cut at B may be facilitated by anchoring thesides of the loops to the base in a small excrescence 1a of plasticmaterial, such that it may be applied against a forming bar 3 during thecutting operation.

As will be readily understood, this invention is not limited to the formof embodiment which has been described and illustrated but can beprovided with any number of modifications without thereby departing fromthe scope or the spirit of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege orproperty is claimed are defined as follows. 70 What is claimed is:

1. A yielding strip of the character described comprising a plurality ofgenerally parallel extending threads,

constituted of a yielding plastic material; the undulations of saidthreads having first and second portions; said first portions embeddedin said base sheet; said second portions extending out of 'said basesheet and forming a successive plurality of loops sec'urably anchored tosaid base sheet; at least a number of said loops cut open along one sideat a first location, a short distance from their outer ends to producehook-shaped elements, said hook-shaped elements secured to said basesheet by the other side of the previously formed loop, said one sidehaving an additional cut flush with said base sheet, such that saidhookshaped elements each have a substantial opening along said one sideextending from said first location to said base sheet.

2. A fastening member comprising a flexible base sheet of solidifiedplastic material, a plurality of parallel extending longitudinallyundulating threads integrally secured within said base sheet, andproviding filament formed hook-shaped elements secured to said basesheet, said hook-shaped elements having a first portion securablyembedded in said base sheet, and a second portion extending out of saidbase sheet, said second portion having a supporting stem communicatingwith said base sheet, and a generally curved forward portion; saidforward portion terminating at a downwardly extending free end; saidhook-shaped element having a substantial opening extending from saidfree end to said base sheet.

3. A fastening member comprising a flexible base sheet of solidifiedplastic material, a plurality of parallel extending longitudinallyundulating threads integrally secured within said base sheet, andproviding filament formed hook-shaped elements secured to said basesheet, said'hook-shaped elements having a first portion transverselyextending along and securably embedded in said base sheet, and a secondportion extending out of said base sheet, said second portion having asupporting stem communicating with said base sheet, and a generallycurved forward portion; said forward portion terminating at a downwardlyextending free end; said hooked shaped element having a substantialopening extending from said free end to said base sheet.

4. A yielding strip comprising a solidified plastic sole, a plurality ofwavy threads having first portions integrally secured within said soleand second portions extending outward of said sole to provide filamenttype free loops, at least a number of said loops cut open along oneside, adjacent the top of the loop, said one side having an additionalcut substantially flush with said sole.

5. A yielding strip of the character described, comprising a base sheetconstituted of a solidified plastic material, and solely of a pluralityof generally parallel extending threads, each of said threads havingsuccessive first portions embedded in said base sheet, with asubstantial region thereof extending into said base sheet and firmlyanchored thereto to provide the sole means for fixedly securing saidthread to said base sheet, and successive second'portions of saidthreads communicating with said first portions and freely projectingoutward of said base sheet to provide a successive plurality of loopssecurably anchored to said base sheet, at least a number of said loopscut open along one side at a first location, a short distance from theirouter ends to produce hook-shaped elements, said hook-shaped elementssecured to said base sheet by the other side of the previously formedloop, said one side having an additional cut flush with said base sheet,such that said hook-shaped'elements each havea substantial opening alongsaid one side extending from saidfirst location to said base sheet.

6. In a fastening member including a plurality of hookshaped elementssecurably anchored to a plastic base sheet, said hook-shaped elementsformed by threads including a generally U-shaped portion, the body ofthe U embedded in said base sheet and the arms of the U extendingoutward of said base sheet to provide the supporting stems for anadjacent pair of hook-shaped elements, a generally curved portionextending forward from'the free end of the U-arms, said hook-shapedelements having a substantial opening extending from said generallycurved portion at the forward end of the hook to said base sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,671,494 3/1954 Coulliette 15413,009,235 11/ 1961 De Mestral. 3,128,514 4/1964 Parker 24-204 X3,130,111 4/1964 Izumi. 3,134,152 5/1964 Pei 24203 X 3,135,820 6/ 1964Hallett. 3,147,528 9/1964 Erb 24--204 3,206,343 9/ 1965 McFarlane 156-72FOREIGN PATENTS 576,092 4/1958 Italy.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner.

1. A YIELDING STRIP OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A PLURALITY OFGENERALLY PARALLEL EXTENDING THREADS, HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY UNDULATINGSHAPE, AND A BASE SHEET CONSTITUTED OF A YIELDING PLASTIC MATERIAL; THEUNDULATIONS OF SAID THREADS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS; SAID FIRSTPORTIONS EMBEDDED IN SAID BASE SHEET; SAID SECOND PORTIONS EXTENDING OUTOF SAID BASE SHEET AND FORMING A SUCCESSIVE PLURALITY OF LOOPS SECURABLYANCHORED TO SAID BASE SHEET; AT LEAST A NUMBER OF SAID LOOPS CUT OPENALONG ONE SIDE AT A FIRST LOCATION, A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THEIR OUTERENDS TO PRODUCE HOOK-SHAPED ELEMENTS, SAID HOOK-SHAPED